Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha held a virtual meeting with Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei yesterday to deepen cooperation with the Chinese tech giant and promote the use of 5G plus AI eco-innovation, he said in a Facebook post.
Gen Prayut wrote on his account that he had concluded a video conference with Huawei's top management, including the Chinese billionaire, and he was "very pleased to tell people that the discussion was good and opened opportunities for cooperation in many areas to support the work of the government and the private sector in Thailand".
They touched on a range of topics including the application of digital technology in medicine, education, trade, services, tourism, finance, agriculture and other industries, he said.
The development of cloud platforms for all parties to use big data was also on the agenda as a matter that will require long-term and continuous investment, he said.
Gen Prayut stressed the important role that advanced ICT technologies and digital innovation will play in supporting Thailand's economic resilience and sustainability.
"Huawei has provided profound contributions to Thailand's fight against the pandemic and the country's digital transformation. I am deeply impressed by Huawei's history and dedication," Gen Prayut posted.
"Going forward, Thailand is eager to continue working with Huawei in various areas, including the digital economy, 5G smart hospitals, cloud and computing, digital power, smart logistics, and further data centres."
Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said the prime minister had thanked Huawei Technologies for donating face masks and providing technological support to help the government battle Covid-19.
He ordered government agencies to discuss possible cooperation projects with the Chinese tech titan, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Mr Ren expressed his gratitude for the government's trust in Huawei and congratulated Thailand on its successful 5G rollout.
"Huawei and Thailand have been working together to build a strong digital infrastructure foundation for many years," the Huawei boss said.
"We look forward to further accelerating the integration of digital technologies in Thailand's key industries, especially in port and airport capabilities."
He said Huawei had applied 5G technology and AI to develop many industries in China, and that Thursday's discussion would lead to technological solutions that would benefit Thailand.
"We strongly believe in Thailand's successful digital transformation and talent development. Our local team will continue working closely with Thai customers and partners to serve the country's social and economic development with technology solutions," Mr Ren said.
Huawei has set up a Huawei Asean Academy in the Eastern Economic Corridor to upskill workers.
